Beautiful in White
by Heart of PureSilver
Summary: Leo wants Corrin for himself, so he tries to win her heart by using a love spell. Things don't go as planned when the spell hits Takumi instead. Leo thinks nothing of the Hoshidan's growing feelings, but what happens when Takumi's love stops being a conjured lie and becomes a truth? Maybe everything isn't as black and white as Leo likes to believe. Leokumi.
1. Chapter 1

"I can't believe I've been reduced to this…"

Leo scowled as he read over the spell for the umpteenth time. Why was he doing this? He was a prince, desired by many females throughout the kingdom of Nohr. However, he did not want those women. Only one held his heart and he wished to express those feelings to her.

If only she felt the same.

That was why he was here. Corrin was his sister even if they weren't related by blood. She was their aspiring leader, trying to save both Nohr and Hoshido from some unknown enemy. The moment the skies over the kingdoms changed, she would show them the way to their true foe. She was prepared to give up her life—both families—because she couldn't bear the thought of turning against her siblings, blood-related or otherwise. She was sweet, kind, and always supportive, if a bit stupid. She had been coming to him in an effort to improve her tactical strategies and she had been excelling under his tutelage. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized that he felt something more for his dear sister. He wanted to be by her side; not as her brother, but as her husband. He needed to prove that to her.

But she was so oblivious that he wanted to tear his hair out. She was their leader and therefore spent a lot of time with everyone. Once his lessons with her had died down, she had been spending more time with her real brother by trying to learn how to use a bow. Leo scowled at the thought of the Hoshidan prince. Takumi was a disdainful little snot. He treated her with such undeserved spite and Leo wanted to punish him for having such an attitude towards Corrin.

He once again went over the lines before him, channeling the power through his arm and forming it into a sphere of red. He eyed the shape, his brow creasing. He was sinking real low and he knew that. Corrin was a female. She was surrounded by many handsome men and no doubt she would choose one to marry before long. He was being selfish. He couldn't bear losing her to anyone.

That was why he had been trying to perfect an old Nohrian love spell he had been researching recently. He didn't want an immediate reaction and gushy, lovey-dovey nonsense. That would immediately raise suspicion to foul play. Perhaps it was his sister's interest in the Hoshidan prince or her apparent fascination with Xander and his achievements, but he did not want to lose to either of them. With the way he had modified it, he would insert an interest and then the spell would do the rest by bringing up a desire in her to spend more time with him. From there, the emotion of "love" would appear and she would probably confess to him if he confessed to her first. At least, that was what he had intended it for it to do. The spell was fickle because love was such a complex emotion to deal with. Who knows what it would do once it actually took effect.

He just wanted a chance to show her what she meant to him.

The red sphere dissipated and Leo clenched his hand a few times, looking at it. He was successfully able to conjure it and give it form. Now all that was left was to find the perfect opportunity to use it on Corrin. She had been training with her bow, so she was probably practicing on the trees available on the astral plane. He took the crafted tome in hand, took a quick look outside his tent, and snuck out. It was a beautiful night on the astral plane. The full moon shone down on him, its gentle light illuminating the sakura trees and making their falling petals seem more majestic. Leo oftentimes wondered if it was the same moon from the mortal plane. Probably not, but it was a nice thing to see when Nohr was perpetually shrouded in darkness. Leo didn't realize moonlight could be so mesmerizing.

As he made his way past sakura trees, he spotted her sitting on the ground and polishing her bow. He narrowed his eyes when he saw her hand covered in bandages instead of a black glove that was usually there. Did she get hurt recently?

"Hey, what are you doing out here so late?"

Leo gritted his teeth as he saw the Hoshidan prince walk over to her. She smiled, looking up at him innocently.

"Nothing. Don't worry so much. I'm not practicing," Corrin answered. "I'm just polishing it and adjusting the tension. After all, you said no more bow practice until my hand heals."

"I…didn't think you'd be so interested."

"Well, I know you still don't think highly of me. I want to prove to you that you can rely on me. Archery is hard, but you've been really patient and helpful with me. I hope I'm living up to your standards. I'd like to continue practicing with you in the future, if that's alright."

"Corrin…" Takumi sighed. "Look. I wanted to…apologize."

Corrin blinked in confusion. "What for?"

"For treating you so harshly at first. Not once have you shown any indication of betraying us. It was wrong of me."

"Is that all you're worried about?" she giggled. "Takumi, even if you hate me, I will always love you. I know Nohr has done horrible things to Hoshido, but I plan on changing things for the better so that we can all get along. I'd like to sit at a table and eat dinner with ALL my siblings. I think you and Leo would get along swimmingly."

Takumi scoffed. "Over my dead body would I ever associate with that Nohrian mage."

"You know, I think Leo would say the same thing about you if he were standing there in your place. You two are peas in a pod!"

"WE ARE NOT!"

Corrin continued laughing at him while Takumi pouted at her. He hated being teased like that and Corrin knew it. He crossed his arms and huffed, walking away from her as she went back to her business. He was planning on giving her a salve to help with her hand, but now he kinda wanted to chuck the container at her head. Childish, but it would make him feel better. He sighed, knowing that he wouldn't follow through with that thought.

It was an older sibling's job to tease the younger ones. It was just another way to show that they cared. He briefly wondered if Corrin did the same thing to her Nohrian brother and felt a pang of jealousy. He didn't have the chance to spend time with Corrin in his childhood as he should have. The Nohrians took that from him and he was still bitter about that. Takumi held a special loathing for Prince Leo specifically because Corrin probably loved her Nohrian brother more than him. It was only natural since they had grown up together, not to mention he had treated her so cruelly at first since he thought she had become just like the rest of the Nohrian scum. He was wrong; so wrong and it hurt to know that she didn't deserve the hateful words he had spat at her.

He touched the container, sitting idly in his pocket. He sighed once more, rushing back to where she was. She had stood up, prepared to leave to her private quarters for the night. She seemed surprised to see him again, but she greeted him with that kind and caring smile he had grown quite fond of. It was the same kind of smile that Ryoma would give him when he was proud of what Takumi had accomplished.

"Forgot something?" she teased.

"Actually, yes," he answered sheepishly, pulling out the salve and handing it to her. "I meant to give it to you earlier. It'll help with your hand."

"Thank you, Takumi."

"Uh, don't mention—"

He was cut off when something hard rammed into his back and exploded in a red poof. He vaguely heard a curse off in the distance and the sound of running boots clicking in the grass. He felt his body go limp, falling to his knees before hitting the ground. Black encased him and he knew no more.

"Takumi! Wake up!"

He strained to open his eyes. His eyelids fought with him for a good few minutes before they allowed his wish. When he did, he was greeted by the concerned faces of his siblings and the unusually worried expression on the youngest Nohrian prince. He found himself staring at Leo longer than he would have liked to admit, simply taking in the other prince's features. He never noticed it before, but Leo was…handsome. As soon as the word passed his mind, the trance shattered and Takumi was brought back into reality. He realized Leo was the one holding him in his arms, his face unnaturally close to Takumi's. Takumi's face flared red, his heart beating wildly in his chest. Blind instinct took over rational thought as he shoved the other prince away as hard as he could.

"NOHRIAN SCUM!" Takumi yelled, more so out of embarrassment than anger. "GET OFF OF ME!"

"You ungrateful little—!" Leo stopped himself, taking a deep breath and regaining his composure. "No. This is a good thing. You seem to be alright if that reaction was anything to go by."

"Don't you _ever_ lay your filthy hands on me again!" Takumi hissed, his heart still threatening to burst from his chest. "What did you do to me!?"

"It was a misfired spell and you were the unintentional victim," Leo answered calmly. "I didn't think I'd find anyone else out here while I was practicing with my magic. That was entirely my fault and I apologize."

"You…" Takumi growled, holding his arms and unconsciously grabbing the places where Leo's hands had touched him. "Be more careful next time then."

"Oh? You're handling a situation maturely for once?" Leo taunted. "The world will truly end now."

Takumi turned his head away, his face still bright red. "You're lucky that I'm deciding _not_ to turn you into a pincushion for my bow."

"Perhaps you should be more aware of your surroundings, Hoshidan prince. If that had been a true threat and not an accident on my part, you'd be dead long before you hit the ground."

"Shut up."

"Duly noted," Leo sarcastically replied. "Now Corrin, if you don't mind, I think I'll take my leave. My business here is done."

Takumi frowned at the retreating back of the Nohrian prince. He mechanically answered the prodding questions his siblings were giving him, Hinoka being especially worried about her younger brother. Once he had finally convinced them he was fine, he was left alone once more. Even if it was annoying at times, he cherished the few times when his elder siblings actually gave him some attention. It made him feel less like the unwanted, moody teenager he was convinced everyone thought him as.

He could still feel the heat radiating in his cheeks and the thumping of his heart against his ribcage. He placed his hands over the area, trying to calm it down. He wasn't sure why he was reacting in such a way. He was thoroughly convinced that Leo had something to him deliberately and it wasn't an accident like the prince said it was. Despite that, he couldn't find it in himself to stay angry at the other prince.

"What's wrong with me?"

Meanwhile, Leo was muttering those same words under his breath as he pulled on his hair in frustration. Of all the possible things that could go wrong, hitting the wrong person of the wrong _gender_ with his love spell was the absolute worst case scenario. It must've been the gods' punishment for trying to mess with the natural process of love. Leo cursed when the fact that _Takumi_ —the one person most likely to set his tent on fire in the middle of the night—was the one hit by the spell came to mind once again. So far it looked like the Hoshidan still hated his guts, which was a good sign. He hoped whatever "interest" that spawned would be quashed by the intense hatred the man had for Nohrians, especially the Nohrian royal family. As soon as the effects wore off, they'd go back to being acquaintances with a mutual hatred for each other.

If only he realized how wrong he was.

* * *

 **These two nerds have the greatest bromance, I swear. Because of that, I have become another Leokumi shipper. I regret nothing. I hope you enjoy it!**


	2. Chapter 2

Leo groaned aloud as he shifted through the many people filing into the Mess Hall that day for lunch. He hated being surrounded by so many Hoshidan strangers. Even under Corrin's watchful eye, he still suspected those ninjas would stick a shuriken in his back if he wasn't careful. Gods knew that Saizo would have no objections to an assassination mission from Prince Ryoma. One wrong move and Xander might find one of his younger siblings dead.

Perhaps it was foolish to assume such things about the high prince, but this was the leader of Nohr's eternal enemy. Leo was going to be prepared for anything should the worst happen. He was still mulling over the contents of his history book as he waited in line to be served. He dreaded what sort of concoction would be served today. The youngest royals were teaming up that day, helping each other out in the kitchen.

Elise had mentioned something about wanting to be more ladylike to Camilla the other day. As always, Camilla was there to answer all the strange questions Elise had blabbed out. He hadn't meant to overhear the conversation, but it was nearly impossible to _not_ eavesdrop when they were in the same room. He wanted to scoff at the current attempt Elise was trying. The quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach, Camilla had said. Where did his sister even come up with such a ludicrous statement? Did she really think most men were that petty and shallow?

"Milord Leo! May I join you for the consumption of nutrition in this eating establishment?"

"No, Odin. You may not," Leo answered, almost rolling his eyes.

As much as he adored having Odin around as both a friend and retainer, his exuberant and theatrical personality could get tiring. Not to mention he already knew that Odin was the one Elise was trying to impress.

"Pardon my intrusion, milord. I couldn't help but notice you're being targeted."

Leo froze. "Targeted by what?"

"The darkness whispers to me. It tells me that eyes of a golden hue have zeroed in on milord from the darkest corners of the world! They desire for—"

"Odin, just get to the point. I'm not in the mood for deciphering your flamboyant jabbering."

"Oh," Odin said with a frown, disappointed his act was blown away so quickly. "Well, I keep noticing that someone has been spying on you today; usually from around the corners of buildings and such. I thought you should know that you might have a secret admirer in this army."

"Ah. _That_ one," Leo muttered darkly, remembering the events from the previous night. "Don't worry about it. I already know. I doubt that person will do anything they might regret."

"So long as you know. As your humble retainer, I, Odin Dark, am sworn to protect you from all that may wish harm upon milord's head! Just say the word and I shall smite thy stalker with—"

"I know you will, Odin," Leo said with a small laugh. "But hold off on your Eldritch Smackdown for now, alright? I'll let you know if I require your 'smiting' services."

"As you wish, milord!"

Leo shook his head as he watched Odin run off to join the other Nohrian retainers that were all gathered at one table. A frown formed when he remembered his last big conversation with Odin. The mage had mentioned he would be leaving as soon as they "saved the world". Leo didn't really like the thought of having to say goodbye to Odin. He had gotten used to his theatrics and to suddenly have that taken away…it was disheartening.

Elise and Sakura gave him his food, both telling him to judge how it tasted. Sakura was more concerned with her own cooking skill while Elise just wanted to know how it tasted and hoped that Odin would like it. He didn't please them with an answer, going off and sitting at the lone table that no one was sitting at. Once he sat down, he opened his book again.

"So that's where it was…"

Leo straightened up, finally noticing the one person he wished to avoid. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. The archer was still under the effects of his spell and he would be for at least a week. Leo grunted, hoping that if he ignored him long enough Takumi would get the message and leave him alone. Much to his annoyance, the Hoshidan prince sat across from him. Leo changed his tactics to glaring. Takumi was unfazed and he was still looking at the book instead of him.

Was Takumi avoiding his gaze like his sister Sakura would?

"Prince Leo," Takumi began unsurely. Leo was almost shocked to hear the other prince call him by his real name. "I…wanted to…apologize."

"For what?" Leo snapped, raising the book so he wouldn't have to look at the pathetic expression on Takumi's face.

"We got off on the wrong foot and…I wanted to…try and…start over."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Prince Takumi, let me make this perfectly clear," Leo began, slamming his book shut so that the Hoshidan would actually look him in the eyes. "I don't care what _my_ sister says. You and I are enemies. We will never get along even if you try."

"I never said we had to get along!" Takumi grumbled, crossing his arms and scowling at Leo. "I just want to quash the rumors going around about us once and for all!"

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Rumors?"

"You haven't heard? I thought you'd be the first to know. Everyone's calling us 'the twins'. You and I couldn't be more different, but they seem to think otherwise."

"Perfect." Leo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just what I need on top of…"

"On top of what?"

"Never mind. So what was your plan to stop these rumors?"

"Well…" he began twiddling his thumbs. "I suppose we could…get to know each other."

"I see. Understandable. You and I must like different things. That'll be enough to prove those cretins wrong."

"Right!" Takumi said all too quickly. "Right. So…uh, what's your favorite food?"

"Beef stew."

"Is that a soup?"

"Sort of. And you?"

"Miso soup."

"Mee-so soup? What's mee-so?"

"It's a Hoshidan seasoning that's mixed in with the broth. It's really good. You should try it sometime."

"Okay…" Leo mumbled awkwardly. "But our hobbies must be different."

"No, not really. You like history, don't you?"

"How could you tell?"

"I was looking for the book you're currently reading earlier. Is it…because you like to study the strategy of past battles?"

"Oh gods. Not you too?"

Takumi nodded. "Yeah."

"Then…would your favorite game happen to be a tactical board game as well?"

"It's called shogi; and yes, it is a tactical board game."

"Our version is called chess," Leo explained. "…I didn't realize we had so much in common. No wonder those rumors formed."

Takumi shrugged. "I guess stopping them is going to be harder than I thought."

"Although…" Leo smirked. "This does give me more of a reason to converse with you."

"Oh really?"

"Even among our troops, I find it hard to find someone to chat with. Not everyone tends to have the same interests as I do. How ironic that my enemy has similar passions. The world works in odd ways, doesn't it?"

"I suppose it does."

"You've been oddly agreeable today," Leo noted with a frown. "No witty remarks or bland insults. Are you feeling well, Prince Takumi?"

"Me?" a small blush appeared before it disappeared just as quickly. "I don't know what you're on, but I'm fine. It's just hard to hate someone who has such good tastes."

Leo chuckled. "So it would seem."

If he was anyone else, the shyness and denial Takumi was showing would be endearing. But since he wasn't, Leo could only overlook it. This wasn't the way the real Takumi acted. The Hoshidan prince he knew was a lot coarser and hot-headed. But on the bright side, it seemed the spell was allowing the other to open up. Leo had no idea Takumi liked a lot of the same stuff he did. It wasn't an unwelcome feeling to find a potential ally in the Hoshidan batch of soldiers he had been so wary of. He stood up, taking his half-finished meal with him to throw it away.

"Takumi, would you care to join me in the library later on? Maybe you could suggest a few Hoshidan texts that may pique my interest?"

"I would lo—"

Leo couldn't believe what happened next had actually happened in real life. Someone had rammed into him from behind, forcing him to lose his balance and let go of the tray that had been holding his soup bowl. Leo watched in shock and horror as Takumi was showered with sandwich condiments and lukewarm broth. He completely froze as he watched the Hoshidan react accordingly, trying to wipe bits of rice and lettuce off his face and out of his now soaked hair. Understandably, the commotion caused everyone in the room to pause and look at the situation. Leo could see Takumi's face turned tomato red from embarrassment and rage. Leo patiently waited for the angry words that he knew would be shot at him.

"Oboro!" Takumi shouted. "The _hell_!?"

Leo blinked when he heard the person behind him swear something in the Hoshidan language, rushing to Takumi's side. She looked remorseful, trying to apologize for causing the whole thing. It then clicked with Leo who she was. She was one of Takumi's retainers and the one who had a seething hatred for Nohrians. Takumi began shooting all sorts of words he couldn't understand at Oboro while the retainer simply bowed and accepted all of them. Once he was done, he seemed to cool down and apologize to Oboro for blowing up at her. She simply smiled and accepted his words. She sent a nasty glare at Leo, as if she was warning him to stay away from Takumi. He did not back down from the look even as she left his line of sight. He turned back to Takumi, watching him brush off more vegetables that were clinging to his clothes.

"Um…may I ask what just happened?" Leo tentatively inquired.

"She did it on purpose," Takumi explained with a sigh. "I know she's only looking out for me, but there are better ways to go about doing it."

"I'm sorry you had to endure such an humiliating situation in the first place."

"Oh gods!" Takumi cursed, remembering that everyone was still watching him. "Everyone saw that!"

Before Leo could mutter another word, Takumi zoomed out of the cafeteria faster than he thought possible. He didn't know what possessed him to follow after the Hoshidan prince. He convinced himself that it was to avoid the inevitable explanation as to how he was involved with the fiasco to both royal families. He followed him all the way to Takumi's tent where he found the Hoshidan taking out different clothes to change into. Takumi was in such a rush that he almost ran into Leo on the way out. A blush once again flared across his face before it vanished again.

"You!?" Takumi shouted. "Wh-What are you doing here!?"

"Whether you're angry or not, I am partially to blame for your—literal—mess," Leo teased, picking off a stray piece of chicken that had stubbornly clung to Takumi's bangs.

"I don't need your help, Nohrian scum," Takumi snapped. "I can take a bath by myself."

"Perish the thought," Leo replied in disgust. "Even if I wanted to, it certainly wouldn't be with you."

"Look, if you have nothing good to say, then get out of my way and leave me alone!"

Takumi stormed past Leo, shoving the other away as he went by. Leo scowled, the sudden urge to chase after the Hoshidan surfacing again. He quashed it down this time. He should leave things be for now and let the idiot cool off. Besides, it appeared that Takumi's hatred was doing just as he predicted. He wouldn't have to worry about the other prince's false infatuation getting out of hand.

"Why should I care what he thinks? I want nothing to do with him."

Takumi sunk lower into the water, the steam not helping in the least to cover up his pink cheeks. Once again, he couldn't stay near the Nohrian prince without feeling like his heart wanted to explode. It was bad enough he had been peeking and spying on Leo. It took all the self-control he had just to talk normally to Leo without dissolving into a stuttering mess. It WAS true when he said he had wanted to stop the rumors. However, he wasn't expecting there was some truth to them. He wasn't expecting Leo to be interested in the exact same things he liked. After learning that, he had a desire to know the Nohrian better. Maybe Leo wasn't the kind of heartless scum he always believed all Nohrians to be.

Takumi gave a start, shaking his head. He was going insane. He had to be. Otherwise these thoughts wouldn't be plaguing him right now. It was Leo's fault in the first place he was feeling even more insecure about himself than normal! It had to be! This warm feeling was a lie! Everything about that scum was a lie!

At least that's what he told himself.


	3. Chapter 3

He tossed and turned in his futon, unable to find comfort in the pleasantly soft sheets he was so fond of. For some reason, sleep eluded him and he could not understand why. Takumi sighed, running a hand through his hair. The shenanigans that had happened that day must've been wearing on his mind still. That was the only plausible explanation. His conversation with Leo buzzed through his head, causing his face to heat up again. The Hoshidan prince growled. Why did the mere thought of that Nohriam scum send his heart into a frenzy, seize his lungs in an iron grip, and twist his tongue so that he couldn't find the right words to say anymore? This had never happened to him before whenever he was in close proximity of the Norhian prince, which only further convinced Takumi that Leo had done something to him. That spell that hit him was no simple spell.

The only thing Takumi wasn't so sure of was Leo's motive. For what possible reason would Leo want to make him feel this way? Leo hated him just as much as he hated Leo's pompous attitude. He'd be much more likeable if the Nohrian didn't glare at him every time they made eye contact. Takumi's cheeks flushed, shaking his head. Again with the thoughts! He shouldn't care about what the jerk looked like. The prince was no better than the Norhians he led.

 _But then again,_ Takumi thought as he turned onto his stomach. _He isn't that much different than I am._

He honestly had no idea that he and Leo shared similar likes and hobbies. It was both a shock and a comfort. He wasn't expecting a Nohrian, the exact opposite of a Hoshidan, to ever be someone to get along with. Corrin had said they were alike. This only proved her point. He sighed, burying his face into the fluffy pillow below him.

No. She couldn't be right. There was one big difference between the two princes. Leo always carried an air of confidence, appearing infallible and untouchable to his enemies. His royal status might have a played a part in this appearance, but he continued to have that same aura off the battlefield. It was a tribute to his strength and diligence. He had the respect of his men and he held it in a firm grip.

Takumi wasn't like that. The Hoshidan prince knew that all too well. He was the one always falling behind and making mistakes. He was the one forever playing catchup to his older siblings. No matter how hard he tried, how hard he worked, it was never enough. Despite Corrin's faith in him, he felt that it was misplaced. If anyone deserved her faith in his abilities, it was her Nohrian brother.

And AGAIN with the thoughts surrounding that scum. Takumi groaned, fed up with his mind constantly going back to Leo and mocking his lack of talent compared to the blonde mage. The silver-haired archer lifted himself up and stretched his stiff limbs. He needed to wind down. He'd never get any sleep at this rate. Plan in mind, Takumi quickly peeked outside his tent. Not a soul was in the immediate vicinity. He slowly lifted the flap, making sure to make as little noise as possible. The refreshing night breeze flowed through his bed kimono, cooling him down and ruffling his long silver locks.

He smiled, gazing up at the moon as its gentle rays shone down on him. Moonlit walks were a treasure. The scent and sight of cherry blossoms only enhanced the surreal beauty of the nature around him. Takumi sat down near a small pond, leaning against the trunk of the sakura tree. It wasn't quite the same as Hoshido, but the astral plane was damn near close to capturing the feeling of home. A home that he hoped Corrin would return to. The Hoshidan prince frowned before letting out a small sigh. Why would she? Why go back to a home where only three-fourths of your family seemed to liked you?

He hoped to make it up to her by the end of this "war" with their unknown enemy.

A small sound of shuffling feet brought Takumi out of his musings. He snapped his head in the direction, mentally swearing when he saw Leo. Why in the seven hells was he up this late!? Takumi could feel the blood rushing to his face. How embarrassing: catching the Hoshidan prince in nothing but his nightclothes at some ungodly hour at night. He'd never live it down. Oddly enough, Leo never looked his way. The blonde Nohrian seemed too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice or care if anyone else was up. Takumi could see a disgruntled expression on his face.

"They're both fools…" Leo grumbled, barely loud enough for Takumi to hear despite the dead silence of the night. "I swear, Camilla and Elise with their absurd fantasies!"

Takumi kept a hand over his mouth, nervous that even the slightest sound would alert the Nohrian prince to his eavesdropping. He slowly peeked over the tree trunk again, noticing that Leo was still wearing his armor and he was holding the history book he had been reading at lunch. Had he stayed up this late reading it? Yet another odd quirk that the two shared.

"Just because we have similar hobbies doesn't mean that I like him!" Leo huffed, still making his way towards the library. "Only a complete twit would ever like that insufferable, contemptible Hoshidan."

Takumi felt a lump form in his throat at the words. It hurt worse than he thought it would. Why did his words hurt in the first place? It's not like he cared about Leo or what he said. Yet, he swallowed the pain and took a slow breath through clenched teeth. He watched as the dark mage disappeared into the darkness, making sure Leo was good and gone. Takumi slowly stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles of his kimono. It shouldn't matter to him. It _didn't_ matter to him. That's what he repeated to himself as he carefully made his way back to his tent. His feet seemed to drag across the crystal dewdrops on the grass, catching stray blades and dirt as they moved. The chilly air no longer felt welcome and he could feel his skin prickling with goosebumps. He rubbed his both his arms, hoping to achieve some semblance of warmth in face of the cold night. His futon never sounded more comforting than right now.

Had the Hoshidan prince turned around, he would've seen the source of all his confusion watching him from distance.

When Leo exited the library, he had not been expecting to see anyone up so late. His siblings knew of his unhealthy habit of staying up late whenever a particular piece of literature tickled his fancy. Usually by the time he finished the book, it was well into the earlier hours of the morning when everyone was asleep. However, this night, he was distracted by something other than history. After the whole fiasco at the dining hall, he was questioned by both Elise and Camilla about what happened between the two. He had answered them curtly with a simple answer: they were having their first polite conversation before Oboro ran into him and accidentally sent his food tray onto the second Hoshidan prince.

He didn't know why he expected anything else from them when his elder sister teased him about what _exactly_ they were talking about. Elise's smile practically spread from ear to ear when he explained the oddly similar hobbies the two princes shared. Leo groaned at both of them, easily seeing what the two were thinking. While it was true they were similar, they had nothing else in common. They were from opposing kingdoms. Their entire ensemble contrasted with each other.

However, that wasn't what irked him. It was Camilla's insensitive comment that sent his nerves into a frenzy.

"You two are so cute together."

Leo almost choked on the water he had been sipping when she said that. That implied so many things that Leo wasn't willing to accept. He did not like Takumi. Not one bit; even if he did have excellent taste in literature. Had the Hoshidan been his normal self, they would've been at each other's throats and throwing insults at one another.

His sister's statement haunted him, so he immersed himself in reading in order to cleanse his mind of such a vulgar image. He hadn't even noticed when the sun set and the moon rose high into the sky. It was only when he finished his book that he realized how late it was. Not only that, but he needed something else to occupy him the next time his mind decided to betray him. So, despite the early morning hours, he trekked to the library to obtain a new work to read. He had no intention of staying up any longer to read more. Leo had no doubt Xander would notice his lack of attentiveness in the war meetings if he didn't get some sleep tonight.

The unexpected sight of the Hoshidan prince whisked him away from his musings, planting him firmly in reality. Takumi was taking his time returning to his tent, allowing Leo the time to observe the other male from a distance. Clad in a simple white kimono, the moonlight seemed to make the prince glisten in the night. His silver hair was undone, flowing down in a sleek and shimmery waterfall. Shapely legs could barely be seen by the convenient slit of the kimono. Leo felt his hand move against his will, covering his eyes to block the sight. He could feel the heat of embarrassment emanating from his cheeks.

 _By the gods, he looks like a woman!_ Leo thought. _What is with Hoshidan males and long hair anyway!? It's unseemly!_

Takumi disappeared beyond the flap of his tent, leaving Leo alone in the night once again. Leo quickly rushed back to his own, immediately burying his head into his pillow. The sight of Takumi shining so brilliantly in the moonlight would not leave his mind. Leo growled to himself, taking the new book he had brought with him.

Screw sleep and to hell with war council meetings. It's not like Xander needed his opinions anyway.

* * *

"Milord Leo, this is a surprise. You're up early, all ready and raring to go. And you seem…tense. Did something _good_ happen to you last night?"

"Not now, Niles."

Trying to pay attention to his magic practice while talking with the obscene thief was taxing on his mind. The last thing he needed was to have Odin join in on the commentary. In all honesty, Leo didn't want to deal with anyone. He hadn't gotten a lick of sleep last night, so it was common sense that Leo was irritable. If only his retainers could take a hint and leave him alone just for today.

"You sure? Because I heard that the Hoshidan prince looked a lot like you this particular morning. Were you two getting to know each other better under everyone's noses?"

"Oh for the love of—" Leo glared at Niles. "Would you cease in your desire for gossip? There is nothing going on between me and Prince Takumi! I don't know why people seem to think there is! I've had one decent conversation with the man, yet everyone's treating it like it's something to lauded!"

Odin laughed proudly. "Milord, you fail to see the momentous change that looms over the grim horizon! The ubiquitous lauding of your dearest kin is a sign of the coming blossoming of the dark bud that is your life."

Leo sighed. "Exactly how is this something I should be happy about, Odin?"

"The civility is proof of the coming alliance between the light and darkness! Two sides of the same coin, forever separated since the beginning, now have the chance to unite! Insignificant it may seem, but it is a fateful step towards the brilliant and blinding glory that awaits to brighten even my sable soul!"

"In other words, you're saying this might be the beginning of a permanent alliance between Nohr and Hoshido simply because the royals can get along?"

"Basically," Niles commented. "The Hoshidans aren't as bad as one would initially think. Though they sure do have their juicy secrets to keep…"

"The ninjas are their cover of darkness, my friend! Whilst ours is liken to a swirling veil of magic that blankets our noble kingdom, theirs is swift and silent as the shadows casted by the burning star above!"

… _What in the world does Elise see in him?_ Leo dryly mused. "I still don't see why this is such a big deal."

"Not to be trite, milord, but this is the first time in a long while that I've seen you converse with someone other than your siblings or close allies," added Niles.

Odin grinned. "Precisely! A sharp light to complement milord's blackest night, for we cannot have one without the other!"

"…I give up," Leo sighed. "Talking to you two is exhausting sometimes."

"We do our best," Niles teased. "I hope its to your expectations."

"Like always, you both go above and beyond," chuckled the Nohrian prince.

The teasing may have been all for good fun, but his retainers did have a point. Once this war with the unspeakable evil Corrin refused to talk about was over, both Xander and Ryoma would be crowned kings of their respective kingdoms. By fighting alongside one another and seeing the true side of their former enemies, it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to create a peace treaty between Hoshido and Nohr. If the opposing royal families could get along, it would be possible for the general populace to do the same. Heck, Elise and Sakura started the beginning processes of the plan since they were already close friends. Camilla and Hinoka were slowly bonding over their shared "overprotective" instincts when it came to their younger siblings. The only ones who weren't following this trend yet were the princes.

Xander and Ryoma…it was impossible to know what either of them were thinking. Leo knew with certainty that Xander would never risk the chance at obtaining peace for his country if the option was available. If the Hoshidan high prince was anything like his elder brother, Ryoma would probably think along the same lines.

That left him and Takumi. Leo already knew he shared more than a few traits with the archer. It wouldn't kill him to get along with silver-haired teen. However, there was the issue with the love spell. Could Leo handle those subtle hints Takumi would no doubt be showing until the week was over?

Of course he could, he thought. After all, they were actions generated by a faulty and misfired spell. They meant nothing in the long run. By the end of the week, Takumi would return to normal and things would be as they should be.

One week. That's all it would take.

* * *

 **My two adorkable fruits! I have returned for you! *hugs tomato and pineapple princes***

 **I am so sorry for being gone so long. My muse hops around fandoms too much. I haven't lost my love for FE. I was simply taking a break from it…a five-month long break. But I am back, hopefully for a good while.**


End file.
